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DIY install of direct fit head unit + OE Backup Cam Integration
Hello!
I realize all head units pretty much are made in China nowadays. A bigger point to this thread is to integrate the factory backup camera to the aftermarket radio and provide the DIY for it.
I tend to just do projects without ever documenting them, but in finding a nice replacement for the factory head unit I found it very difficult to get some answers I was looking for. Because the info I was looking for, I wanted to include a DIY to answer a couple of those questions that don’t seem to be widely known through internet searches.
I would rate this install a 4 out of 10 for difficulty. It requires a steady hand and careful planning to trim the actual faceplate to fit, and then some light soldering to make the backup camera work.
As a spoiler:
![]()
^I also just finished installing my Escort Passport 9500ci display in the rear view mirror and couldn’t be happier.
I will skip some of the parts that are well documented around- like taking the bank of switches out for access.
I got the head unit from Car Navi Player (sounds like whoever named it didn’t have a perfect grasp on the English language), and because their own website describes it that it will need trimming I was ready to do that off the bat. They also have the option of Apple CarPlay or Android Auto (you can do both as well, because it does have 2 USB cords coming off of it) for an additional $70 each. I only got CarPlay, but it is easily changed because it came as just a dongle to attach to one of the USB plugs. It makes me think that I could even find a dongle to connect to give wireless CarPlay function at some point.
It’s an Android based OS, so you can download apps that you’d normally use on any Android phone. A great example I will be using is Dash Command. This allows for additional gauge displays and even diagnosing any potential check engine lights with an OBDII connector like an ELM327 adapter. I’m sure there will be additional features that I’ll find but this is good enough for now. Things like Netflix could be added but I’m not sure I will ever install any video player, but could be done in theory.
Initial impressions of the unit are good. I tested all the features I could think I would really ever use so that I wasn’t trying to learn them while driving down the road. The screen is crisp, and more responsive to touch than any other unit I’ve used. The integration for wiring is impressive, as everything works as I expect it too. Sitting here writing this up I realized that I didn’t try to check the display in the gauge cluster to see if that still shows radio stations or anything like that. I’ll check that later. I tried calling my wife on the phone to test the Bluetooth function, and although it worked, it didn’t filter background noise well enough so it had echo and some unwanted feedback. That’s frankly the only negative thing I can say about it so far.
Onto the installation:
Some background:
My 09 LP already came with navigation, disc changer, bluetooth, and reverse camera.
Lay a towel or blanket down beneath everything so the stereos don’t scratch or mar up your interior.
Remove the switch bank beneath the stereo with a simple non-marring pry tool. Unplug the clip on the back and set the switches aside.
The new unit comes with the keys to remove the old unit. Slide these in with the straight sides all facing inward. Normally these keys are supposed to lock into place so they can be used to pull the deck out. That wasn’t the case with these, but sliding my hand through the switch slot and pulling from the back side worked just fine for me.
Disconnect all of the cables from the back. The big square plug is actually 3 steps. First remove the green and blue plugs and then you can remove the big clip and the rest of the connector. The 32 pin connector won’t be used again, neither the blue one out of the big square connector, nor the factory GPS antenna.
Now the factory head unit is free and can be set aside.
In the box for the new stereo there are a boat load of extra and unused wires, and I only ended up using about half of them. It includes an amplified antenna adapter or a different style, which I assume works on different years or radios. Mine worked with the amplified antenna that I wired to the antenna out of the main wiring harness that came with the unit.
![]()
I placed the WiFi antenna and GPS receiver under the cover above the gauges for oil pressure and temp, and battery. It has a clip on each side and then slides out carefully from the back corners and set aside. I stuck the WiFi antenna in the center in the slot already there in the dash moulding, and stuck the GPS receiver with 3M foam tape.
![]()
To make the factory backup camera work, I found the reverse camera control module beneath the CD changer. Remove the cup holder/center glove box by prying up at the front end and hinge the tail end out. Unclick the connector to the 12v socket and set aside. Remove the 2 10mm bolts from the control module and pull off the smaller connector. You’ll see it has 4 wires and we will be splicing into 3 of them.
![]()
The solid white and brown wires are the video signal from the camera. White is positive and brown is negative. The other wire we want is the black and red wire that sends power from the control module to the actual camera. You can confirm this as it will be sending between 6-7vdc through it when reverse is engaged.
I connected a 6v relay to the 7v camera power wire, and used the 12v socket as the power source for the other side of the relay. It was also easy to ground the relay to the mounting point for the console itself. This way the 6-7v signal can be used to fire the relay and actually be sending 12-14v to the head unit to connect to the trigger wire on the head unit. Pull the egear button surround by prying up from right in front of the parking brake. It comes up and you can now easily fish the wires from behind the parking brake up to the lower part of the dash. Run the RCA to the backup camera input and the trigger wire from the module to the backup camera wire on the main harness. The backup camera connector has a wire labeled as backup camera, but that’s an output wire so tape it up and ignore it.
![]()
It should be noted that in testing I found the trigger wire is not necessary to change the screen to display reverse automatically. It just didn’t work when I would push the button to manually turn on the camera moving forward. That’s why I still wired the trigger wire off the relay.
Head unit plugged in and starting testing:
![]()
Luckily I checked how the keys would fit the aftermarket unit before installing it, as the alignment of the chassis didn’t actually have enough room for the keys to fit through if I ever wanted to remove it.
![]()
Nothing a flathead screwdriver couldn’t fix.
![]()
Now just make sure the wires all clear going into the dash and you’re almost done. I had to sand the edges down just a tiny bit more to make it fit perfectly, but no big deal. I also used a small amount of acetone on the spots where I sanded to take away the sanded look.
![]()
Last you just need to test and get familiar with it. I immediately downloaded Google Maps and Dash Command for the car.
All in, this unit set me back only $507. $399 for the base unit, $69 for Apple CarPlay dongle, and $39 for shipping.
I’ll mostly use CarPlay, so I’ll have traffic updates using Waze when I need it, And Google Maps for certain instances where Waze fails me. I also like that it’s not just static because of the Android OS and can download new applications if I want them.
Hopefully this has served as a way to help those who are upgrading their factory stereo. I found little info online and most of it contradicted other info. Specifically, integration of the factory backup camera. One member had said that Car Toys pulled a reverse cam signal from under the parking brake so I started there, google searched the part number I could see on the camera module and found out it was indeed the camera module. Then it was much simpler to figure out what wires did what.
This unit genuinely looks like the factory head unit and other than a slightly slow startup time, like 8-10 seconds, and the microphone quality, I can’t find a single reasonable complaint about this thing. I really wish we didn’t have to get something that we had to cut and sand before we could even use it, but hopefully this will help everyone to get some updated electronics in the G.
-Brad
Update 2/27/19: The screen scratches quite easily on this unit. I ordered a 2-pack from Amazon for screen protectors in an anti glare matte finish.
Matte Screen Protector from Amazon and the size we need is 5.97" by 3.36"
Hello!
I realize all head units pretty much are made in China nowadays. A bigger point to this thread is to integrate the factory backup camera to the aftermarket radio and provide the DIY for it.
I tend to just do projects without ever documenting them, but in finding a nice replacement for the factory head unit I found it very difficult to get some answers I was looking for. Because the info I was looking for, I wanted to include a DIY to answer a couple of those questions that don’t seem to be widely known through internet searches.
I would rate this install a 4 out of 10 for difficulty. It requires a steady hand and careful planning to trim the actual faceplate to fit, and then some light soldering to make the backup camera work.
As a spoiler:
^I also just finished installing my Escort Passport 9500ci display in the rear view mirror and couldn’t be happier.
I will skip some of the parts that are well documented around- like taking the bank of switches out for access.
I got the head unit from Car Navi Player (sounds like whoever named it didn’t have a perfect grasp on the English language), and because their own website describes it that it will need trimming I was ready to do that off the bat. They also have the option of Apple CarPlay or Android Auto (you can do both as well, because it does have 2 USB cords coming off of it) for an additional $70 each. I only got CarPlay, but it is easily changed because it came as just a dongle to attach to one of the USB plugs. It makes me think that I could even find a dongle to connect to give wireless CarPlay function at some point.
It’s an Android based OS, so you can download apps that you’d normally use on any Android phone. A great example I will be using is Dash Command. This allows for additional gauge displays and even diagnosing any potential check engine lights with an OBDII connector like an ELM327 adapter. I’m sure there will be additional features that I’ll find but this is good enough for now. Things like Netflix could be added but I’m not sure I will ever install any video player, but could be done in theory.
Initial impressions of the unit are good. I tested all the features I could think I would really ever use so that I wasn’t trying to learn them while driving down the road. The screen is crisp, and more responsive to touch than any other unit I’ve used. The integration for wiring is impressive, as everything works as I expect it too. Sitting here writing this up I realized that I didn’t try to check the display in the gauge cluster to see if that still shows radio stations or anything like that. I’ll check that later. I tried calling my wife on the phone to test the Bluetooth function, and although it worked, it didn’t filter background noise well enough so it had echo and some unwanted feedback. That’s frankly the only negative thing I can say about it so far.
Onto the installation:
Some background:
My 09 LP already came with navigation, disc changer, bluetooth, and reverse camera.
Lay a towel or blanket down beneath everything so the stereos don’t scratch or mar up your interior.
Remove the switch bank beneath the stereo with a simple non-marring pry tool. Unplug the clip on the back and set the switches aside.
The new unit comes with the keys to remove the old unit. Slide these in with the straight sides all facing inward. Normally these keys are supposed to lock into place so they can be used to pull the deck out. That wasn’t the case with these, but sliding my hand through the switch slot and pulling from the back side worked just fine for me.
Disconnect all of the cables from the back. The big square plug is actually 3 steps. First remove the green and blue plugs and then you can remove the big clip and the rest of the connector. The 32 pin connector won’t be used again, neither the blue one out of the big square connector, nor the factory GPS antenna.
Now the factory head unit is free and can be set aside.
In the box for the new stereo there are a boat load of extra and unused wires, and I only ended up using about half of them. It includes an amplified antenna adapter or a different style, which I assume works on different years or radios. Mine worked with the amplified antenna that I wired to the antenna out of the main wiring harness that came with the unit.
I placed the WiFi antenna and GPS receiver under the cover above the gauges for oil pressure and temp, and battery. It has a clip on each side and then slides out carefully from the back corners and set aside. I stuck the WiFi antenna in the center in the slot already there in the dash moulding, and stuck the GPS receiver with 3M foam tape.
To make the factory backup camera work, I found the reverse camera control module beneath the CD changer. Remove the cup holder/center glove box by prying up at the front end and hinge the tail end out. Unclick the connector to the 12v socket and set aside. Remove the 2 10mm bolts from the control module and pull off the smaller connector. You’ll see it has 4 wires and we will be splicing into 3 of them.
The solid white and brown wires are the video signal from the camera. White is positive and brown is negative. The other wire we want is the black and red wire that sends power from the control module to the actual camera. You can confirm this as it will be sending between 6-7vdc through it when reverse is engaged.
I connected a 6v relay to the 7v camera power wire, and used the 12v socket as the power source for the other side of the relay. It was also easy to ground the relay to the mounting point for the console itself. This way the 6-7v signal can be used to fire the relay and actually be sending 12-14v to the head unit to connect to the trigger wire on the head unit. Pull the egear button surround by prying up from right in front of the parking brake. It comes up and you can now easily fish the wires from behind the parking brake up to the lower part of the dash. Run the RCA to the backup camera input and the trigger wire from the module to the backup camera wire on the main harness. The backup camera connector has a wire labeled as backup camera, but that’s an output wire so tape it up and ignore it.
It should be noted that in testing I found the trigger wire is not necessary to change the screen to display reverse automatically. It just didn’t work when I would push the button to manually turn on the camera moving forward. That’s why I still wired the trigger wire off the relay.
Head unit plugged in and starting testing:
Luckily I checked how the keys would fit the aftermarket unit before installing it, as the alignment of the chassis didn’t actually have enough room for the keys to fit through if I ever wanted to remove it.
Nothing a flathead screwdriver couldn’t fix.
Now just make sure the wires all clear going into the dash and you’re almost done. I had to sand the edges down just a tiny bit more to make it fit perfectly, but no big deal. I also used a small amount of acetone on the spots where I sanded to take away the sanded look.
Last you just need to test and get familiar with it. I immediately downloaded Google Maps and Dash Command for the car.
All in, this unit set me back only $507. $399 for the base unit, $69 for Apple CarPlay dongle, and $39 for shipping.
I’ll mostly use CarPlay, so I’ll have traffic updates using Waze when I need it, And Google Maps for certain instances where Waze fails me. I also like that it’s not just static because of the Android OS and can download new applications if I want them.
Hopefully this has served as a way to help those who are upgrading their factory stereo. I found little info online and most of it contradicted other info. Specifically, integration of the factory backup camera. One member had said that Car Toys pulled a reverse cam signal from under the parking brake so I started there, google searched the part number I could see on the camera module and found out it was indeed the camera module. Then it was much simpler to figure out what wires did what.
This unit genuinely looks like the factory head unit and other than a slightly slow startup time, like 8-10 seconds, and the microphone quality, I can’t find a single reasonable complaint about this thing. I really wish we didn’t have to get something that we had to cut and sand before we could even use it, but hopefully this will help everyone to get some updated electronics in the G.
-Brad
Update 2/27/19: The screen scratches quite easily on this unit. I ordered a 2-pack from Amazon for screen protectors in an anti glare matte finish.
Matte Screen Protector from Amazon and the size we need is 5.97" by 3.36"
